From a team of more than 50 international scholars comes the Word Biblical Commentary Series.

Its more than 60 volumes offer the best in critical scholarship firmly committed to the authority of Scripture as divine revelation.

2 Corinthians has long been recognised as providing valuable motivation for the Christian in daily life and for the church in its service. At the same time, its difficulty for scholars is well known. In this comprehensive and detailed commentary, Dr. Ralph P. Martin never fails to address both the scholarly questions and the significance of Paul's thought for Christian living and ministry.

While technical problems are exhaustively treated, Dr. Martin has given prime concern to a clear interpretaion of the text as it stands. Examining the unique literary problems of 2 Corinthians, he shows that the contents and chief emphases of the letter are best appreciated by viewing it in the historical and theological situation at a critical juncture of Paul's missionary career, when his apostolic leadership was the subject of heated debate at Corinth. As Dr Martin reveals the identity of Paul's opponents, he develops ideas set forth in his earlier works on the Pauline epistles.

In a penetrating analysis of Paul's responses to the various crises within the Corinthian congregation, Dr. Martin gives new insight into the particular problems of Christianity as expressed in the hedonistic, cosmopolitan setting of Corinth. He shows how Paul's attempt to redefine the Gospel in terms that clearly distinguish it from Hellenistic Judaism and Hellenistic Jewish Christian idealogy results in a moving statement of the Christian message. Rather than the 'theology of glory' prevalent at Corinth, Paul articulates his theology of the cross as a 'theology of weakness,' of servanthood and ministry. What was at stake at Corinth, say Dr Martin, was nothing less than the essence of the kerygma as expressed in the way of the cross... for proclamation and daily living.